Korean Register

United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) calls on Korean Register of Shipping to comply with international sanctions
United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, has issued a statement regarding the Korean Register of Shipping’s (KR) response to UANI, as reported in the Reuters article “S.Korea ship classifier defends Iran marine work”, as follows:
UANI is both concerned and certain that KR is placing the short-term profits of those that benefit from its services, specifically the IRGC, before the united will of the international community.
It is ironic that KR would describe an effort to enforce international sanctions against Iran as “political,” at the same time it is mischaracterizing its business decisions as public safety measures.
KR needs to end the political gamesmanship, and stop helping the Iranian regime bypass international sanctions.
Earlier, UANI called on KR to stop certifying Iranian shipping vessels, specifically those of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC).
The prominent European shipping services Bureau Veritas and Germanischer Lloyd recently stopped certifying Iranian vessels in response to UANI.

UANI calls on the Korean Register of Shipping to stop certifying IRISL vessels and Iranian oil tankers
United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) calls on the Korean Register of Shipping (KRS) to stop certifying Iranian shipping vessels, specifically those of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC).
Reportedly, KRS is the one and only classification societies in the world that continues to provide Iranian vessels with safety certificates

At a ceremony in Busan, Korea on 12 March, the chairman and CEO of the Korean Register – an IACS member classification society – together with over 300 VIP guests, formally broke the ground to start construction of KR’s new head office.
As part of its continuing international development plans, the Korean Register is expanding its core headquarters staff and has outgrown its current headquarters in Daejeon, central Korea

IoM cooperation with the Korean Register (KR) could yield more Asia based tonnage for the Isle of Man ship registry; more than a third of Isle of Man Ship flagged tonnage now operated by ship owners from the Asia Pacific region.
The Isle of Man Ship Registry (IoM) recently completed a pilot project with the Korean Register (KR) as a first step towards full recognition of the Korean classification society.
The move could mean more Korean owned and classed vessels coming onto the Isle of

A culture of cosy personal ties that can blur the lines between businesses and those regulating them, of profit over safety, and soft courts is in focus as South Korea demands answers over the sinking of a ferry with the loss of more than 300 lives, mainly high school students.
Prosecutors are investigating two shipping trade organisations responsible for vessel safety checks and for certifying ships that operate in domestic waters.

The Korean Register (KR) released SeaTrust-HullScan, a software solution to analyze and appraise a vessel’s hull structure in accordance with the new harmonized common structural rules (CSR-H). SeaTrust–HullScan is a new ship design support program that enables ship designers and ship builders to accurately apply IACS CSR-H and all subsequent amendments when designing and constructing a vessel. SeaTrust–HullScan was developed in-house and has been rigorously verified

United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, applauds ClassNK's decision to end Iran ties
Last week, UANI called on ClassNK, to close its Tehran office and stop certifying Iranian entities.
Ambassador Wallace's statement reads:
"We applaud ClassNK for pledging to close its Tehran office. Once it follows through on today's announcement to end its work in Iran, ClassNK will have closed yet another avenue for the Iranian regime to circumvent international sanctions

The Korean Register – an IACS member class society - signed an MoU with global steel producer Dongkuk Steel. The agreement paves the way for the two organizations to cooperate on the exchange of strategic technology relevant to the construction of seagoing vessels and platforms.
Specifically, the agreement defines mutual cooperation for developing and surveying rolled steel used in the building of ships and marine structures

Korean Register (KR), an IACS member classification society, has been authorized as a “recognized organization” of the Latvian government to deliver statutory services.
The authorization means KR is now able to conduct relevant surveys, audits and issue certificates to Latvian flagged ships for SOLAS, MARPOL, ITC, ICLL, ISM Code and MLC. ISPS Code related certification will also be carried out upon acquiring prior approval from the government of Latvia.

Workboats, ships and megayachts rely on large and extra-large rudder bearings. Having a vessel in dry dock for days or weeks while waiting for an oversized bearing is costly and frustrating, said Vesconite, whose machined Vesconite and Vesconite Superclad replacements—up to 10' in diameter with practically any wall thickness—are available for immediate shipment from a global network of dedicated dealers, and with fast turnaround times for custom sizes.

Dr. B. S. Park, Korean Register Chairman and CEO, has passed away after a short illness.
Dr. Park graduated from Korea Maritime and Ocean University in 1976 and joined Pan Ocean Shipping where he worked in a number of capacities until 2001

China said on Wednesday South Korea's coast guard should not have been operating in part of the sea where one of Seoul's patrol boats sank last week during an operation to crack down on a group of Chinese fishing boats.
South Korean coast guard vessels regularly chase Chinese boats for

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has signed a contract to build two 2,600 ton frigates with the Department of National Defense, Republic of the Philippines.
The frigates, scheduled to be delivered from 2020, will be a smaller light combatant and successor to the Incheon class frigate now in

Japanese shipyards are on the verge of overtaking Korean shipyards in remaining order backlogs and market share, reports Business Korea.
South Korean and Japanese shipbuilders recorded a backlog of 20.46 million CGT and 20.06 million CGT early this month, respectively

Damen Shipyards Group has sold a Fast Ferry 4212 to South Korean ferry operator DAEA Express Shipping. The vessel, named Sea Flower, is the fourth ferry of this design that Damen has sold in the last five years to companies operating on the east coast of the Korean peninsula.

Korean Register (KR) – an IACS member classification society - has signed a Memorandum of Agreement to establish a joint venture company with the Iranian Classification Society (ICS).
The agreement is to deliver plant facility certification and engineering services

At its 49th meeting last month, the Paris MoU Committee approved the 2015 inspection results and adopted new performance lists for flags and Recognized Organizations. These lists will take effect from July 1, 2016.
The White, Grey and Black (WGB) List presents the full spectrum

Vietnamese crewmen held over killing of S.Korea ship captain, engineer.
Two Vietnamese crewmen on a South Korean fishing vessel in the Indian Ocean have allegedly stabbed and killed the ship's captain and the engineer over a dispute, South Korea's coast guard said Monday.

The global orderbook has continued to decline in the year to date, indicating that there are diminishing levels of activity at many of the world’s shipyards, says Clarksons Research.
In the last six months, South Korean yards have seen the largest decline in their orderbooks

The Korean Register has announced that it has successfully completed a feasibility study for the conversion of an 8,600 teu containership into a 10,000 teu vessel.
This new capacity specification was developed in response to a shipping company’s desire to adapt to recent shipping

Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) has signed a contract to build a 50,000 dwt bulk carrier with ILSHIN LOGISTICS. The project is a collaboration between POSCO and ILSHIN LOGISTICS to develop the first in a new generation of ships for greener shipping.

The Korean Register (KR) – an IACS member classification society – has announced that it has significantly expanded its land-based test facilities for Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) by opening a brand new specialist facility.

North Korea test fired a submarine-based ballistic missile (SLBM) from its east coast on Wednesday, CNN reports quoting South Korean authorities.
The missile flew about 500 kilometres before splashing into the Sea of Japan — the first missile of its kind to reach such a distance.

China lodges protest with Seoul over the incident.
Three Chinese fishermen were killed on Thursday in a fire that broke out on their boat when South Korean coastguard men trying to apprehend them for illegal fishing threw flash grenades into a room they were hiding in

Around 50 ships owned by or related to North Korea have reflagged in Tanzania since the United Nations Security Council adopted its strongest-ever resolution on the country in March, in an apparent attempt to circumvent the sanctions.